Ferragosto Sannazzareno

Ferragosto Sannazzareno, the heart of the Sannio summer

There is a village of just over eight hundred inhabitants that, every August, transforms into the summer capital of the Sannio region: San Nazzaro, in the province of Benevento, the smallest municipality by surface area in the entire province. Since 1981, it has hosted the Ferragosto Sannazzareno, one of the longest-running summer events in Campania: about ten days built on a simple, proven formula that blends live music, games, sports, dancing, conviviality, gastronomy, and slow tourism.

A history that began in 1981

The first edition dates back to the summer of 1981, initiated by a group of local volunteers who later formed the socio-cultural association that still manages the festival today. The count of editions reflects this continuity: the 39th was held in 2019 (from August 9th to 17th), the 40th in 2022, and the 41st in 2023, always in the first half of August. For those who emigrated and those born in San Nazzaro, the Ferragosto Sannazzareno has been the appointment that marks the return home for over forty years.

Live music between Piazza Roma and the Villa Comunale

The heart of the event is Piazza Roma, the village's historic square, flanked by the Villa Comunale for more intimate evenings. Concerts usually start around 9:00 PM, and the programming over the years has deliberately avoided the 'ballroom dance at all costs' formula: blues, rock, singer-songwriter music, world music, and reinterpretations of the Campanian folk tradition have alternated. Recent editions have featured artists such as Dr. Jazz & Dirty Bucks, French musician Sandro Joyeux, the Sannio-based group SudTerranea, Radio Babylon with Auroro Borealo, and the Italo-Latin band Lando Café.

Food stalls and Aglianico del Sannio

Throughout the festival, food stalls remain open to the public: local dishes, Aglianico from Sannio, beer, sangria, and desserts accompany the evenings in the square. It is a rustic table, without gourmet pretensions, that also serves as an introduction to the cuisine of the Benevento hills, a land of structured red wines and short-supply-chain products.

August 15th: vintage cars by day, dancing by night

The highlight is naturally August 15th. In the morning, Piazza Roma traditionally hosts the vintage car and motorcycle rally, which attracts collectors from across the province; in the evening, dancing continues late into the night, with a program alternating between ballroom, Latin American, 60s and 70s music, and group dances, leading up to midnight dedicated to the summer celebration.

The eco-oenological walk, the most awaited finale

The festival concludes with the eco-oenological walk, a morning hike through the hills and vineyards around the village with tasting stops: over the years, it has become the most iconic appointment of the Ferragosto Sannazzareno and attracts hundreds of participants each time, including tourists curious to discover the agricultural landscape of the Sannio at a slow pace.

Sports, games, and families

Before the official opening, the program has always included a sports and recreational section: volleyball tournaments and other disciplines, competitions, and games for children, with registrations collected in the days leading up to the event. This is the part that most directly involves the village youth and makes the festival a truly family-friendly event.

Where we are: San Nazzaro, among the Sannio hills

• Municipality: San Nazzaro (BN), ZIP 82018, Campania
• Distances: about 12 km from Benevento and about sixty kilometers from Naples
• Context: hilly area of the Sannio, a stone's throw from San Giorgio del Sannio, Apice, and Calvi
• Admission: free to all evenings

Visitors from outside the region will find in this festival a fine example of what is called an Italian village feast: no tourist spectacle, entirely volunteer-run, and a community that lives in the square for ten days.